Botanical Name : Swertia Chirata
Sanskrit Name : Kirata             
English Name : Chiretta           
Family : Gentianaceae                        

Description of Swertia Chirata:
The plant is an erect annual. The stems are robust, branching, cylindrical below and 4-angled upwards, containing a large pith; the leaves are broadly lanceolate, 5-nerved and sub-sessile; the flowers occur in large panicles, are lurid greenish yellow, tinged with purple; the capsules are egg-shaped, many-sided, sharp-pointed; the seeds are smooth and many- angled. The drug (chiretta) is obtained from the dried plant

Principal Constituents:

Chiretta is reported to contain a yellow bitter acid, ophelic acid, two bitter glucosides, chiratin and amarogentin, gentiopicrin, two yellow crystalline phenols, a neutral, yellow crystalline compound, and a new xanthone, swerchirin. Amarogentin is one of the most bitter substances known.The herb contains swertanone, swertenol, episwertinol, chiratenol, gammacer-16-en-3ß-ol, 21-a-H-hop-22(29)-en-3ß-ol, taraxerol, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, swerta-7,9(11)-dien-3ß-ol, pichierenol, besides ß-amyrin, y-taraxasterol, lupeol and erythrodiol. It also yields, 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone-C-2-ß-D-glucoside (mangiferin) having a significant immunomodulatory potential. A new xanthone, 1,5-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone (chiratol) besides swerchirin and 7-O-Me swertiarin and monohydroxy terephthalic acid and 2,5-dihydroxy terephthalic acid were isolated from the herb. The herb also yields 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxy xanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-xanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3,7- dimethoxy xanthone, 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy xanthone C-2-ß-D-glucoside (mengiferin), 1,3,8-trihydroxy-5- methoxy xanthone, 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxy xanthone and 1,3,7,8- tetrahydroxy xanthone, a novel dimeric xanthone (chiratanin) and the alkaloids gentianine, gentiocrucine and enicoflavine.

Pharmacology:
The ethanolic extract of S.chirayita exhibits hypoglycemic activity. The hexane fraction containing swerchirin, the main hypoglycemic principle, induced a significant fall in blood sugar in albino rats. The compound may have clinical application in control of diabetes. It also possesses anti-microbial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. An herbal antiseptic and antifungal Veterinary ointment Melicon V is prepared from the herb. The extract of the plant exhibits a significant anti-inflammatory activity. The plant extract shows anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani in golden hamsters.

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